Its Been A Long Time Coming

Hey Everyone….

I know it’s been a LOOONG time since I have blogged, I am very sorry. I was in a country where I couldn’t access my blog site. Now I am in France and I will do my best to keep up with my blog and update you all on everything that has been happening.

Well, right now I am in Massy, France. It is about half and hour outside of Paris. Unfortunately France is experiencing a transportation strike because of some new changes the President has introduced. I am hoping the strike ends soon so that I can catch a train into Paris (as of now… practically none of the mass-transit system is running, and the people I am staying with do not own a car) but... I must be patient. The people I am staying with here (Steve and Yvonne) have said we could borrow a car this weekend from their friends and maybe go to see some sites. That should be fun.

Well… since it has been a few weeks that I have updated my blog… let my try to fill you in on my time in Laos.

My first impression of Laos was that it was a lot like Mexico… lots of poor friendly people and lots of dirt. Over my time there however, my perspective changed and I began to fall in love with this amazing country.
transferring
I really cannot contain in words the things that have been opened in my heart upon visiting so many countries, and the impact that Laos had on me I am still only beginning to discover. It was my first experience in a communist country, and honestly, until you experience it, it’s hard to understand. In America, we don’t realize and appreciate our freedom. Instead we take it for granted, and in a way it can become a prison. We cannot easily imagine a life without this freedom, we cannot empathize with those who are not free, and our daily lives revolve solely around what we want them to. We are often imprisoned by our comfort, because it inhibits us from thinking about those who are not free. We forget that it is a gift, yet it is not one we deserve. Instead, it is one that we have been given, not so that we can abuse and forget its worth, but so that we can take the blessings it offers and the opportunities it gives, and reach out to those who would other ways never taste this beautiful thing called freedom.

I met so many awesome people on my trip through Laos. So many impressed themselves into my heart, and I will carry their memories always.

I will try to write more about my day-to-day activities soon. Keep me posted on what’s going on back home! Keep the people of Laos in your prayers.


The Blog posted previous to this one was written while I was in Laos and sent as an email to a friend. I hope you enjoy reading it… it may give you more of an idea on my time in Laos. I will try to post pictures when I get home in December.